RELIANCE PUBLIC SCHOOL

COMMITTEE: UNHCR

AGENDA: ISSUES OF REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE

COUNTRY: AUSTRALIA

This entry includes those people residing in a country as refugees or internally displaced
persons (IDPs). Each country's refugee entry includes only countries of origin that are the
source of refugee populations of 5,000 or more. The definition of a refugee according to a
United Nations Convention is "a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual
residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality,
membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail
himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution." The
UN established the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1950 to
handle refugee matters worldwide. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in
the Near East (UNRWA) has a different operational definition for a Palestinian refugee: "a
person whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15
May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict."
Australia has a vested interest to contribute proactively to the UN Global Compact on Refugees
Australia’s contribution should draw on its experience and expertise on technical and financial
support to new resettlement countries, complementary pathways for refugees, capacity
development for regional partners, leveraging private sector support, and setting standards on
environmental migrants. Australia should review its own asylum and refugee policy against the
commitments in the Global Compact.

Solutions:

Greater involvement by the Chadian government in developing the region and promoting
durable solutions to displacement. The state could be a driving force for this by providing for greater
presence of state representatives, increased financing for the Global Recovery Program for eastern
Chad and regular reporting on its contributions, and more active guidance for the process on the
basis of its priorities.

Improving security in eastern Chad will be key to enabling humanitarian and development
aid workers to meet the needs of the population. Only the state can restore authority and the
rule of law by deploying security forces and strengthening the justice system, ensuring that
Chad’s existing security mechanisms have the means to function effectively.

Recurring tensions and inter-community disputes must be resolved through consultation with
communities, and support to inter-communal dialogues and traditional dispute resolution
mechanisms, as well as application of legislation on pastoral migration routes.